Low level floor lighting is relatively soft lighting that illuminates the floor and may be used to enable a person to navigate the interior of a building without getting hurt or turning on bright lights that may temporarily blind the person in darkness or disturb others who are sleeping. Many situations may arise in the home where there is a need for low level lighting for example, without limitation, to find the bathroom during the night or when exiting a building in an emergency. Currently known low level lighting devices for these purposes include nightlights. However, nightlights are typically single devices that illuminate a portion of a room rather than lighting a path through the building.
It is preferable that this lighting can be easily turned on by the user only when the lighting is needed. Currently known low level lighting may be turned on by various means. For example, without limitation, one method is a switch that may be mounted on the wall or on the light itself. However, this method may require the user to cross the room and search for the switch in the dark. Another method is a motion detector that turns on the light when motion is detected near the light. However, motion detectors may occasionally detect motion and turn on the light when the light is not needed. Yet another currently known method for turning on low level lighting is a light sensor that turns on the light when the room reaches a predetermined level of darkness. However, this method requires the light to be constantly on when the room is dark. Some known devices may use a combination of these methods.
One prior art example of low level lighting is a motion actuated nightlight. This particular nightlight device provides a low level illumination using electro-phosphorescent lighting, which is automatically turned on when motion near the device is detected by the device and if the ambient lighting level is low. When the ambient light level is above a specified level so that it is possible to see without a nightlight, the device is inactive. A high intensity lighting feature allows the device to be used as a flashlight in emergencies since the device is fastened to a wall in such a way that it is easily and quickly removed. The front face of the device provides a downwardly directed surface for projecting light toward the floor and sideways directed surfaces for projecting light to each side. Spherical Fresnel lenses enable the device to detect motion over a 180-degree azimuth. The device may have phosphorescent doping within its case structure so as to provide a dim light even when not energized. This device is basically a flashlight that is wall mounted and turned on via a motion detector.
Other known devices use motion detectors to light pathways outside of the home rather than in the interior of the house. Another known low level lighting device is emergency floor lighting for commercial vehicles such as but not limited to airplanes. However, this lighting is not controlled by the user.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for improved techniques for lighting pathways with a single light or series of lights inside a building that are activated by the user when the lighting is needed.
Unless otherwise indicated illustrations in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.